Hazards of Time Travel - Joyce Carol Oates

 

Description

An ingenious dystopian novel of one young woman’s resistance against the constraints of an oppressive society

When a recklessly idealistic girl in a dystopian future society dares to test the perimeters of her tightly controlled world, she is punished by being sent back in time to a region of North America – ‘Wainscotia, Wisconsin’ – that existed eighty years before. Cast adrift in time in this idyllic Midwestern town, she is set upon a course of ‘rehabilitation’ – but she falls in love with a fellow exile and starts to question the constraints of her new existence, with results that are both devastating and liberating.

Arresting and visionary, Hazards of Time Travel is an exquisitely wrought love story, a novel of harrowing discovery – and an oblique but powerful response to our current political climate.

Review

Being a lover of time travel novels I was immediately drawn to this book from the title alone. 

We are introduced to a world in 2049 where NAS exists - The Northern American States. We find a cross between George Orwell's 1984 and The Handmaids Tale with a dystopian world nothing like our own. 

Adriane is found to be a dissenter in this future world and her punishment is to be sent back to 1959 to get a good University education. I still cannot fathom the reasoning behind this. Why would 80 years in the past provide a better education? When none of the progressive things she knows of have been invented.

Once Adriane is back in 1959 I started to enjoy this book (to begin with anyway). The description of her encountering a manual typewriter and looking for a plug was wonderful, as was her trying to use a dial phone. From time to time we begin to wonder if this time travel has actually taken place or is it a constructed reality? I'm still not sure.

Adriane is called Mary Ellen in 1959 America and takes Psychology 101. Whilst some of this was interesting, at times the book descends into such detail I felt like I was taking this course myself. Far too intense to be enjoyable for me. 

There are certainly some thought provoking parts to this book. The politics of 1959 America and the world are beginning to run true again today. It wasn't really a book for me. It's a dystopian world with time travel bolted on and a coming of age love story in between psychology lectures.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for e book to review.

The Interview - C M Ewan

 

Description

The Interview is a gripping locked-room thriller from C. M. Ewan, the acclaimed author of A Window Breaks and the half-a-million-copy bestseller Safe House.

It’s 5 p.m. on a Friday.

You have been called to an interview for your dream job.

In a stunning office thirteen floors above the city below, you are all alone with the man interviewing you.

Everyone else has gone home for the weekend.

The interview gets more and more disturbing.

You’re feeling scared.

Your only way out is to answer a seemingly impossible question.

If you can’t . . . what happens next?

Review

I've got mixed feelings about this book.

I was certainly intrigued by the premise of the book. What was that seemingly impossible interview question going to be?

I got a bit of a sinking feeling when I wondered if the whole book was just going to be in this office, the interviewer and interviewee - and it's a long book. I needn't have worried,  although this is the core of the book there are some other characters thank goodness.

Fast paced with the action but at times a slow moving plot meant I did begin to scan read some of it. I'm not one for over detailed descriptions of what is happening and if that is your thing then this will be ideal for you. Belief has to be suspended at times, but I was happy to go along with it. 

I had an inkling about a couple of things and was partially right, but not for the right reason. There was a big shock and actually for me that's when the book lost some of it's traction. However, that didn't stop me racing through it to find out what the outcome of "the interview" would be.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

Escape - Linwood Barclay

 

Description

Don't stop running . . . the second edge-of-your-seat thriller with bite from international bestselling author Linwood Barclay for ages 9+

12-year-old Jeff and genetically engineered spy dog Chipper are on the run from the mysterious and sinister government organisation knows only as The Institute. Due to a combination of bravery, luck and some of Chipper's more useful modifications, they've managed to evade their pursuers so far. But The Institute is closing in and Chipper and Jeff will have to be stay one step ahead if they want to stay alive..

Danger, secrets and thrilling suspense collide in Linwood Barclay's action-packed series for children.

Review

Being a huge fan of the writing of Linwood Barclay, I decided to try this children's book he wrote. Although this is the second in a series and I hadn't read the first book it was a standalone read.

It might be aimed at 9+ ages but I found the whole story really intriguing. As the book begins I wasn't totally sure what was happening, but then the flashback to an earlier time began and I settled into it. Later being greeted with an "aha" moment as the timeline caught up to the beginning.

It doesn't pull any punches and isn't a saccharine or cosy thriller. There was a major twist that I didn't see coming and so much humour. The story itself I found a little unnerving, as Chipper is living dog that has been re-engineered. It was cute that the dog could communicate with Jeff through a mobile phone though.

I think this would be a great book for children to read (and adults). Especially those that like a fast paced mystery book. 

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

The Imperfect Art of Caring - Jessica Ryn

 

Description

One small act can make a big difference

Violet Strong is strong by name but not by nature, or so she thinks. She listens but never talks about herself. She’s friendly but doesn’t have many real friends. She’s become good at keeping people at a distance ever since she left home at eighteen and never looked back.

But when Violet is forced to return home to care for her estranged mother, Glenys, she quickly finds out that life as a carer isn’t easy. Feeling overwhelmed, she’s forced to turn to the other local carers, including childhood friend, Adam, for help.

Although returning home still feels like a mistake, maybe it will help Violet right some wrongs. After all, she can’t keep running from her past forever, and in learning to look after others, perhaps Violet can start to finally love herself…

Review

This is the most heart warming book I have read in a long time.

Violet is forced to return to her childhood home to look after her estranged Mother, as her sister is leaving for New Zealand. I was as shocked as Violet was when her sister said she would be leaving soon - that evening! Violet had only just arrived home and was a little bewildered with her new responsibilities, especially as her Mother had no interest in her being there.

I really felt for Violet, and then there was the reason she had left home all those years ago. But what was that reason? We are left wondering for a very long time. Lots of little side stories are woven into the main story, some very worrying. I was anxious that it was going to be alright in the end.

The home Violet knew has been subdivided into flats and we begin to discover with Violet who the tenants are. My favourite was Tammy who lived on the top floor. She has learning disabilities and her Mother died recently - she's been left in a world she doesn't understand. Luckily Violet helps her with that. But in turn Tammy helps Violet in ways we cannot foresee at the beginning of this friendship.

Lots of brilliant characters who are so true to life. As are the experiences they have with both officialdom and the world at large.  

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to HQ stories for a copy of the book. It's a story that will stay with me for some time.

A Spoonful of Murder - J M Hall

 

Description

Introducing the three unlikeliest sleuths you'll ever meet…

Every Thursday, three retired school teachers have their ‘coffee o’clock’ sessions at the Thirsk Garden Centre café.

But one fateful week, as they are catching up with a slice of cake, they bump into their ex-colleague, Topsy.

By the next Thursday, Topsy’s dead.
 
The last thing Liz, Thelma and Pat imagined was that they would become involved in a murder.
 
But they know there’s more to Topsy’s death than meets the eye – and it’s down to them to prove it…

Sit down with a cup of tea and this perfectly witty, page-turning cosy crime novel. Fans of Agatha Christie, Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders will be hooked from the very first page.

This audio edition includes an exclusive interview between J.M. Hall and Julie Hesmondhalgh.

Review

I listened to the audio version of this book. 

I loved Julie Hesmondhalgh narrating this book It really added to the cosy crime aspect and the subtle humour present throughout which she brought through so well when reading. Also it gave a different slant I think to the voices I would have had in my own head reading the book. 

All the characters were so believable and certainly were in my experience true to type for their ages. It wasn't until the book ended that I realised the author was a man. The voices of the women were so well written he has closely observed mannerisms and figures of speech. I found out at the end of the book that he is a primary school teacher and so he obviously drew a lot on that with the ladies all being retired teachers.

The book also relates to dementia and scams against the elderly. Again so very well written and true to life. I've been to most of the towns described in the book and I really liked that I could visualise where they were. 

If I had one tiny criticism about the audio is that I kept getting confused with who was speaking out of the three ladies. The name was soon mentioned though and I was able to follow the story. I would sum up this book as Agatha Christie meets Victoria Wood.

At the end of the audio the author read the acknowledgements and I really enjoyed this part and also the interview between him and the narrator. It brought so much more to the book and I hope other audios include something similar in the future.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars and my thanks to netgalley for the ARC of the audio to review.

The book is published 17 March 2022.

Take Your Breath Away - Linwood Barclay

 

Description

It’s always the husband, isn’t it?

One weekend, while Andrew Mason was on a fishing trip, his wife, Brie, vanished without a trace. Most people assumed Andy had got away with murder, but the police couldn’t build a strong case against him. For a while, Andy hit rock bottom – he drank too much, was abandoned by his friends, nearly lost his business and became a pariah in the place he had once called home.

Now, six years later, Andy has put his life back together. He’s sold the house he shared with Brie and moved away for a fresh start. When he hears his old house has been bulldozed and a new house built in its place, he’s not bothered. He’s settled with a new partner, Jayne, and life is good.

But Andy’s peaceful world is about to shatter. One day, a woman shows up at his old address, screaming, ‘Where’s my house? What’s happened to my house?' And then, just as suddenly as she appeared, the woman – who bears a striking resemblance to Brie – is gone. The police are notified and old questions – and dark suspicions – resurface.

Could Brie really be alive after all these years? If so, where has she been? It soon becomes clear that Andy’s future, and the lives of those closest to him, depends on discovering what the hell is going on. The trick will be whether he can stay alive long enough to unearth the answers…

Review

Linwood is back on form. I read this book in one sitting, despite it's length, it was that good. 

I had fallen a little out of love with novels from this author after having read every single thing he wrote. But this novel is back where I first began with him, and a in style I love. He is able to take the extraordinary and weave it into everyday life and that's what I like. I cared about all the characters and was interested in all of them. 

With references to COVID and the decline of retail this book is of the now. It also has a great storyline. So many different threads to it that kept my interest throughout. Questions were popping into my head and I kept them on the back burner as the characters began to ask those same questions too. Then began the twists. 

Just who was this woman who had shown up? Was it the wife who disappeared 6 years ago?

I'll leave you to find out for yourself.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

What a Shame - Abigail Bergstrom

 

Description

There is something wrong with Mathilda.

She's still reeling from the blow of a gut-punch break up and grieving the death of a loved one.
But that's not it.

She's cried all her tears, mastered her crow pose and thrown out every last reminder of him.
But that's not helping.

Concerned that she isn't moving on, Mathilda's friends push her towards a series of increasingly unorthodox remedies.

Until the seams of herself begin to come undone.

Tender, unflinching and blisteringly funny, What a Shame glitters with rage and heartbreak, perfect for fans of Emma Jane Unsworth, Dolly Alderton and Holly Bourne.

Review

I wasn't sure what to make of this book. I was confused at first as Mathilda is talking to someone she addresses as "you". Then I began to realise that the "you" was two different people, which would be correct if this was in your own head, but to read it is a different matter.

Intrigued by what the remedies her friends would go to I pressed on.   I wasn't overly convinced of their methods. The last method was a little too out there for me and too many pages were taken up describing it all in detail.

My favourite part of the book is where she befriends Constance an elderly lady who still has opinions on lots of things and I thought worth listening to.

There are a couple of what I deem to be comical episodes, but I didn't find them that funny. Overall I found the book a little depressing and even more so when what I had suspected from the beginning is revealed. There could be some trigger points for some readers.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.